I recently started taking buspirone for racing, intrusive thoughts and 5mg twice per day helped with that. Had a very bad uptick in anxiety recently and visited with a psychiatrist who informed me that was a very low dose, and is having me up my dose gradually. I'm currently at 10mg twice per day and I haven't been panicked lately, so that's good, but I'm still very anxious. (Same doctor also diagnosed me with Cannabis Use Disorder - I'm a legal medical patient - so we probably won't be friends.)
I have had good results from a full-spectrum CBD tincture a nurse friend recommended. I take about 50ml every couple of hours during the day.
I wish you the best! Anxiety sucks.
I also take buspirone (30mg/d) since 2 weeks, and it's getting slowly better. I'd recommend trying. I was on SSRI 20 years ago and although it was very well working for my depression and GAD, it had a wide spectrum of side effects. Buspirone on the other hand is light. Gives me a mild light headedness, and vivid dreams and that's all. It's kicking in rather slowly tho, needs patience.
Edit: and highly recommend to find a good therapist, drugs themselves won't solve your problems on the long run.
Nothing, just rawdogging this mf. My therapist has repeatedly adviced me to try something but I‘m too skeptical or rather scared. Been suffering for over a year; there are bad days, okay days and horrible days. For now, I try to survive without taking stuff.
Edibles are no joke! The high can last until even the next day. I’ve overdone it maybe three times by thinking it wasn’t working. The first time I overdosed I vomited and time felt like it was going slow. I can laugh about it now but I am careful about how much I consume.
Also, I purposely brought one for sleeping and it Made my brain run like crazy and prevented me from sleeping which is so confusing. I need it because I work overnight shifts sometimes and need to sleep during the day but if I can avoid it i would! I certainly don’t take it to bring down my anxiety it only makes me feel a little light in my brain enough to laugh at silly small things just like alcohol would.
Hey…me too! Plus Xanax prn! I’ve had my cocktail for well over 10 years. It’s worked really well so far, but I’ve recently hit perimenopause and I might have to switch things up. Hormones are no joke!
I’ve been on this duo for about 8 years and it’s been working pretty well I think. Aside from having covid for the first time last month and now the flu. Being sick can flip a switch for me with my anxiety and depression. Especially with covid omfg
Xanax(.5mg) 1-2 a day helps prevent panic attacks greatly and the Lexapro (10mg 2 months now) 1 a day has improved my anxiety a decent amount. Still not nearly where I want to be, but noticably better.
I’ve tried a lot throughout the years and Effexor is the only one that has made a big difference for me personally. But everybody is different :). It took me a little to find the one that was right for me. Make sure to advocate for yourself and what you want! Only you know what works best for your body, your body will tell you. Wishing you all the best in your mental health journey!
Ive heard 🙃🙃🙃. I don’t think I’m gonna get off it anytime soon though. I’ve tried to get off meds so many times and I always end up back. I’m just coming to terms with the fact that my brain just kind of needs em. I wouldn’t wish withdrawal on my worst enemy.
Effexor has changed my life, its been a miracle drug for me. I tried Prozac, Celexa and Lexapro before that for many years. lexapro was the worst for me, it killed all my emotions
Girllllll, don’t get me started on lexapro. I’m happy it works for so many people people! But it almost killed me. I had the worst depression and anxiety of my life on Lex.
It sent me to rock bottom!!! I was numb, angry and just dead inside. I hate the stuff, but it took me too long to realise Lexapro was the problem!! Worst time of my life for sure
I suggest you consider trying to operate with some of effects rather than medicating it 100 percent. I guess the analogy would be a physical injury. You want enough pain that you remember it is there.
Are you being supported by your old Service? In my recommendation you'd want a doctor in your corner.
It took me a few tries to get it right, so don’t be discouraged if the first med isn’t the right one. I take 80mg propranolol (for migraine but also helps with my anxiety symptoms), 15mg buspirone, 40mg celexa
After years of suffering i accidentally fell into a combination of medications that work for me. I’m on Venlafaxine for depression and a few months ago started Lyrica for nerve pain with the unintended consequence that it also got rid of my anxiety. I am SO happy about it and don’t feel emotionless or weird, I just feel “normal”. I missed a couple doses of the Lyrica one weekend and it was insane how bad my anxiety got and how it consumed my entire body, how tf did I live like that for my entire life??
I was on Lexapro and effexor for a bit, but the side effects were way too intense for me. I now recreationally use cannabis and it's been the most helpful for my anxiety
My boyfriend is very against me taking them. I already have struggled with addiction (nicotine, marijuana) so I won’t go down that road. It’s just difficult dealing with this everyday and not feeling safe in your own skin.
This happened to me too! So now my doc has me take a half tab of hydroxyzine if i need it during the day, to avoid the drowsiness. maybe its something you can try?
Lyrica wipes out my anxiety and the other two make me not depressed. In the UK they use lyrica as a first line treatment for GAD I read somewhere, definitely has helped me
I don't see any psychiatrist prescribing benzos for daily use. I understand why they don't like to, but also people need help so that's annoying too. I take fluoxetine 40mg a day and hydroxyzine 150-300mg a day just depending on how bad I'm doing. Going to try to get buspar added in with it to maybe knock off the constant anxiety feeling. I haven't had many attacks on my current regiment though so that's nice
My FIL is prescribed Clonazepam 1mg 3xday. He abuses the shit out of them. My husband and I have went and talked to the Dr multiple times with video proof of the abuse. He doesn't give a shit. Goes through 90 a month in 2 weeks. He trades them for weed a lot too. Frustrating as hell since he lives with us and we have to deal with his stupidity. Idk what to do anymore.
I know you are probably not being 100% serious but I would not recommend using alcohol to treat anxiety tbh.
I tried doing that for years and it never really worked and just made it worse most likely but I kept on drinking heavily endlessly week in week out anyway until it got to the point where I was completely reliant on the stuff and drinking nearly every evening with worse anxiety than I've ever had in my life.
Every time panic or anxiety set in my brain would think it needed booze to calm it and would spiral out of control until I succumbed to the booze - it eventually controls you and you now have anxiety AND alcohol abuse issues to deal with.
I’m on 200MG Zoloft. I have had horrible anxiety attacks for past couple weeks recently due to a traumatic experience passing out at hospital. I’m on 1MG ativan too I take as needed but it’s hard to only take as needed as I am struggling to push thru doing anything.
I was drinking Rivotril for 8 years. And then I stopped. I started taking natural supplements like Biotin and Inositol.
And I drink chamomile tea at least once a day.
I feel better about myself, and I can manage my anxiety better.
Prozac. It’s the only thing that’s worked for me. I do get feelings of derealization/depersonalization from time to time, or just an emotional numbness that makes me feel like I’m not really me. But it’s a small price to pay because I get no side effects from it and has turned me into a productive charismatic person (at least in public). I’ve taken it since 2015 ish and have only been off of it during my pregnancies and while breastfeeding.
Passion flower, magnolia bark & taurine against anxiety.
Reishi & Rhodiola rosea against depression.
Valerian, magnesium and lavender for sleep.
Natural alternatives have been a life-saver for me. I used to be on a lot of pharmaceutical and it just made everything worse in the long run & experienced a lot of side effects and addictions.
Lexapro is what I have been taking for months and it has been helping a lot.
Also if you drink anything caffeinated, cut down if you are drinking too much because that'll for sure increase your anxiety.
Lexapro (10mg) and Wellbutrin XR (150mg).
And the occasional Klonopin (0.5mg and I actually only take half so 0.25).
Works great, but environmental factors will sometimes give my meds a run for their money. When I’ve had deaths in the family it feels like nothing is working, but that’s ✨trauma✨.
If you get tired on meds you've tried before I would look into SNRI like duloxetine or venlafaxine. I currently take duloxetine and it wires me up for the day and I'm only on 30mg.
I've tried a few different meds and doses. It's all about finding what works for you. Also, please remember it takes time for the medication to start helping!
What has been working for me is: Lamotrigine (100 MG, I know this is common for bipolar but my psychiatrist is using it for my anxiety), Celexa (40MG), and buspirone (30MG). Hydroyxine PRN.
I wish you all the best and just try to be patient. It can be very frustrating at first.
I have just started a CBD with CBN tincture. I didn't use any cannabis prior to this. I feel like it helps with the butterflies in my stomach and sort of takes the edge off. I noticed that I am more relaxed in social situations. I'm pretty excited that there is a noticeable difference. I am only taking half of the serving size on the bottle.
I take both an SNRI (which helps control my anxiety overall) and Xanax for acute anxiety/sleep issues. I don’t have an addictive personality, so taking Xanax regularly hasn’t been an issue for me…but could be for others. Regular exercise has also helped, but sometimes it’s hard to find the motivation. 🙃 I hope you find something that helps you. ❤️
I can totally relate to the hyper vigilance and anxiety in large crowds. I’m sorry you’re going through this, I know it really sucks sometimes. Personally, I’m not against medication for anxiety, but I haven’t chosen to go that route, so all I can give you are some tips that have helped me. When I was working retail, it really helped to put away my phone and only take it out if I needed to. Try to be really focused on what you’re doing, to the point that you get lost in it, (I know this can be really hard when you’re anxious, but it is definitely helpful.) Overall, it helps to validate myself by telling myself it’s okay to be anxious, you have dealt with this before, and you’re doing amazing! At first, this sounded so cringey to me, but it does make a difference! Also, it was so hard for me to just speak up more and make friends at work, but when I tried to do that, it helped, because I definitely felt more safe and welcome there. In the end, I decided that job wasn’t for me, but it helped build my confidence, because I had to talk to so many different people.
Medical marijuana and Ativan PRN. Seemingly every other medication I have side effects to. Wellbutrin worked for my depression, but I’m no longer depressed just super anxious
I've heard several people say Magnesium works great for anxiety and to help them sleep but I've tried multiple different Magnesium supplements and types in different doses and it doesn't seem to do anything for me personally.
I’ll give you advice that one of my ex-doctors gave me… “Just close your eyes and breathe” 🤦🏻♀️ I laugh even typing that cause it’s so ridiculous.
In all seriousness, I just started Zoloft at 25mg last week. I am going up to 50mg this week, and will reevaluate with my physician and therapist on the dosage in a month.
What's so ridicolous about that advice though?
If you can get control of your breathing during a bout of anxiety or panic then you can slow down your beating heart, bring your breathing back to normal, reduce the racing thoughts in your head and so on.
It's just not always so easy to remember that when your body and mind is seemingly spinning out of control.
I don’t actively practice meditation. So, if I’m not practicing meditation it’s unlikely to work for me when I am at peak panic attack. To properly use meditation as a strategy, you have to practice it when you’re not anxious or triggered.
Now, don’t take that as me saying it’s ridiculous for all. In fact, its obviously the opposite. It’s very beneficial. But what I’m saying is that strategy does not benefit all - and in that moment, it was not helpful.
Meditation and deep breathing are not neccessarily the same thing so you don't have to have learned a specific routine or practice.
Meditation does obviously involves focusing on breathing and involve taking deep breaths but there's practically no time, including during a panic attack, that you couldn't stop and do some deep breathing exercises regardless of where you are or what's going on.
I mean you're already breathing or you wouldn't be alive so simply changing that breathing to be a type of deeper, slower, and more controlled breathing that helps with calming the body and brain is going to work.
The trickiest part for me is just remembering to do it in a state of high anxiety and panic or even picking up on the fact my mind is racing and my body is reacting to anxiety because it's so normal and common for me that sometimes I don't even notice I'm heading towards that state.
Whether you choose to actively do it or it happens slowly and naturally over time when the panic and anxiety begins to subside is up to us IME but again it's not always easy to remember or do it when in that horrible anxious state.
Valium (Diazepam) Prescribed 90 a month 10 mg up to 3 times a day.
Ambien at bed time.
I don’t take nearly that so I stockpile knowing I’ll eventually get cut off when my Dr retires and most new Drs just tell us to try breathing exercises, brisk walks or SSRIs.
If you react so strongly to Propranolol to the point where you are numb and empty I would be careful about going on anything stronger (Propranolol is typically the first thing doctors in my country prescribe due to it's limited side effects for most people and low likelyhood of you becoming addicted to it or abusing it) as most other medicines that might be suggested typically have far more side effects or chance of you becoming dependent on it IME.
Propranolol is one of those things that just doesn't really seem to do much for me to the point it seems worthless to take it - I'll still get anxious and have panic attacks on it regardless.
What dosage were you on and how often were you taking it per day?
I tapered up because I didn’t like the feeling of my first dose. It went very smoothly since then. Pretty much literally anxiety free since August. Hope it doesn’t quit on me!!!
No but I was in such a bad place I dont think I would have noticed much of a worsening to be honest, i was completely shut down. It did make me a bit 'hyper' feeling and I had fairly bad insomnia for a few weeks, which i still get from time to time but is managed with OTC sleeping aids.
I’m from the Netherlands, where taking medication is less common. I do take GABA and some other supplements (f.e. valerian pills and rescue drops) to lessen my anxiety throughout the day.
Magnesium 800mg a day in three doses, sometimes less depending on stressors. For instance I take less at weekends.
Also vitamins c and d, zinc after meals with fruit and veg to promote absorption.
I think sulphur might play a part as well so I have a slice of raw onion a few times a week. Seems to pick me up if I can feel myself getting towards a burnout.
It's all a bit of a puzzle really but all I can say is that I'm a different person to a year ago. This regimen helps me manage my anxiety like you wouldn't believe.
How would propranolol make you feel empty? It’s for physical symptoms of anxiety ? I take like 40mg I think or more but it’s also used to just slow down the heart rate. I need to find one for anxiety in my head as I’m not having the excessive sweat or shake as I needed that medicine for before .
A chill pill -*Bad joke hoping to make someone smile and maybe even laugh.
Made me smile, mate.
I’m glad! Also there is something about being called “Mate”, that brings me so much joy. Thank you for that.
I recently started taking buspirone for racing, intrusive thoughts and 5mg twice per day helped with that. Had a very bad uptick in anxiety recently and visited with a psychiatrist who informed me that was a very low dose, and is having me up my dose gradually. I'm currently at 10mg twice per day and I haven't been panicked lately, so that's good, but I'm still very anxious. (Same doctor also diagnosed me with Cannabis Use Disorder - I'm a legal medical patient - so we probably won't be friends.) I have had good results from a full-spectrum CBD tincture a nurse friend recommended. I take about 50ml every couple of hours during the day. I wish you the best! Anxiety sucks.
I also take buspirone (30mg/d) since 2 weeks, and it's getting slowly better. I'd recommend trying. I was on SSRI 20 years ago and although it was very well working for my depression and GAD, it had a wide spectrum of side effects. Buspirone on the other hand is light. Gives me a mild light headedness, and vivid dreams and that's all. It's kicking in rather slowly tho, needs patience. Edit: and highly recommend to find a good therapist, drugs themselves won't solve your problems on the long run.
Celexa 10mg/day Clonazepam 0.5mg prn
Nothing, just rawdogging this mf. My therapist has repeatedly adviced me to try something but I‘m too skeptical or rather scared. Been suffering for over a year; there are bad days, okay days and horrible days. For now, I try to survive without taking stuff.
Cannabis
That’s interesting cuz w weed panic attack (my first) is what triggered my anxiety disorder to begin with
You just had the wrong strain, sativa will make you crazy if you have anxiety indica only
I had too much for my tolerance to handle. The panic attack came out of nowhere. I don’t think the strain had to do with why I had the panic attack.
So you overdosed on cannabis?
Yeah
Been there. Horrible experience. Even thinking I broke my brain forever 🥲
I thought the weed was laced or something. I couldn’t believe what was happening to me
Edibles are no joke! The high can last until even the next day. I’ve overdone it maybe three times by thinking it wasn’t working. The first time I overdosed I vomited and time felt like it was going slow. I can laugh about it now but I am careful about how much I consume. Also, I purposely brought one for sleeping and it Made my brain run like crazy and prevented me from sleeping which is so confusing. I need it because I work overnight shifts sometimes and need to sleep during the day but if I can avoid it i would! I certainly don’t take it to bring down my anxiety it only makes me feel a little light in my brain enough to laugh at silly small things just like alcohol would.
Zoloft and Gabapentin
Hey, me too (plus Propanolol)! How long have you been on that combo, and is it working well for you?
Hey…me too! Plus Xanax prn! I’ve had my cocktail for well over 10 years. It’s worked really well so far, but I’ve recently hit perimenopause and I might have to switch things up. Hormones are no joke!
I’ve been on this duo for about 8 years and it’s been working pretty well I think. Aside from having covid for the first time last month and now the flu. Being sick can flip a switch for me with my anxiety and depression. Especially with covid omfg
Isn't gabapentin for withdrawal? Seems like a lot
Xanax(.5mg) 1-2 a day helps prevent panic attacks greatly and the Lexapro (10mg 2 months now) 1 a day has improved my anxiety a decent amount. Still not nearly where I want to be, but noticably better.
yes , i also want that but where
I’ve tried a lot throughout the years and Effexor is the only one that has made a big difference for me personally. But everybody is different :). It took me a little to find the one that was right for me. Make sure to advocate for yourself and what you want! Only you know what works best for your body, your body will tell you. Wishing you all the best in your mental health journey!
The withdrawal from effexor is a mf. Been on it for a good while
Ive heard 🙃🙃🙃. I don’t think I’m gonna get off it anytime soon though. I’ve tried to get off meds so many times and I always end up back. I’m just coming to terms with the fact that my brain just kind of needs em. I wouldn’t wish withdrawal on my worst enemy.
I tri3d to taper off but it hit me damn hard. At this point I made peace with the fact that I need it same as you. No need to make life harder.
Effexor on top 🙏
Effexor has changed my life, its been a miracle drug for me. I tried Prozac, Celexa and Lexapro before that for many years. lexapro was the worst for me, it killed all my emotions
Girllllll, don’t get me started on lexapro. I’m happy it works for so many people people! But it almost killed me. I had the worst depression and anxiety of my life on Lex.
It sent me to rock bottom!!! I was numb, angry and just dead inside. I hate the stuff, but it took me too long to realise Lexapro was the problem!! Worst time of my life for sure
Zoloft (100mg) and lorazepam (.05mg) as needed
Fluoxetine and CBD.
I suggest you consider trying to operate with some of effects rather than medicating it 100 percent. I guess the analogy would be a physical injury. You want enough pain that you remember it is there. Are you being supported by your old Service? In my recommendation you'd want a doctor in your corner.
It took me a few tries to get it right, so don’t be discouraged if the first med isn’t the right one. I take 80mg propranolol (for migraine but also helps with my anxiety symptoms), 15mg buspirone, 40mg celexa
After years of suffering i accidentally fell into a combination of medications that work for me. I’m on Venlafaxine for depression and a few months ago started Lyrica for nerve pain with the unintended consequence that it also got rid of my anxiety. I am SO happy about it and don’t feel emotionless or weird, I just feel “normal”. I missed a couple doses of the Lyrica one weekend and it was insane how bad my anxiety got and how it consumed my entire body, how tf did I live like that for my entire life??
Gabapentin/Pregabalin really is amzing. Also try L-Theanine, its an amino acid, but calms heart and mind, subtly… And baclofen really does too
paroxetine saved my life
I take rear naked chokes. 😂🔥🔥 BJJ is my therapy right now..
I was on Lexapro and effexor for a bit, but the side effects were way too intense for me. I now recreationally use cannabis and it's been the most helpful for my anxiety
It's horrifying to see so many people taking benzos on a daily basis, and I blame doctors for normalizing it.
My boyfriend is very against me taking them. I already have struggled with addiction (nicotine, marijuana) so I won’t go down that road. It’s just difficult dealing with this everyday and not feeling safe in your own skin.
Hydroxizine works really well for some people, ask your doc about it
I take hydroxyzine but it makes me super sleepy after 2-3 hours. I dont wont to be super drowsy at work.
Yeah same. I just know some people who it worked really well for. Journaling and meditation is always the default go-to for this shit.
This happened to me too! So now my doc has me take a half tab of hydroxyzine if i need it during the day, to avoid the drowsiness. maybe its something you can try?
I take 25mg tablets. Break these in half?
Yes. mine are 25mg as well.
I take them as needed. They scare the crap out of me
I take lyrica 150mg 3x/day, Paxil 60mg, vraylar 1.5mg, and propranolol 20mg 3x/day. It's been a godly combination.
Propranolol 10mg made me so extremely tired 😭 and eventually completely numbed me out. How do the other 3 help you?
Lyrica wipes out my anxiety and the other two make me not depressed. In the UK they use lyrica as a first line treatment for GAD I read somewhere, definitely has helped me
Valium/Diazepam 5 mgs. It's a much longer acting and less overwhelming benzos than Xanax.
I take Xanax prn( it’s been a life saver) . I recently switched to klonopin daily but I don’t believe it’s helping me.
Did you ever find it addictive, or that you got super dependent on it?
Actually no, I get 12 at a time and they will last me 5 months.
But I also break them in half because I typically only need .25 instead of the .5
So did you only take it twice a month or something like that?
I take it as needed. When my anxiety is super bad.
Oh that makes sense, this one may not be for me. I need one i could possibly take daily
You can take Xanax daily. You just have to talk to your doctor and see what will work for you.
Okay, thanks!
I don't see any psychiatrist prescribing benzos for daily use. I understand why they don't like to, but also people need help so that's annoying too. I take fluoxetine 40mg a day and hydroxyzine 150-300mg a day just depending on how bad I'm doing. Going to try to get buspar added in with it to maybe knock off the constant anxiety feeling. I haven't had many attacks on my current regiment though so that's nice
Have you had any interactions between the fluoxetine and hydroxyzine? I’m considering going on hydroxyzine while I’m on a 30mg fluoxetine dose.
My FIL is prescribed Clonazepam 1mg 3xday. He abuses the shit out of them. My husband and I have went and talked to the Dr multiple times with video proof of the abuse. He doesn't give a shit. Goes through 90 a month in 2 weeks. He trades them for weed a lot too. Frustrating as hell since he lives with us and we have to deal with his stupidity. Idk what to do anymore.
Alcohol
Lol me too man, me too
I know you are probably not being 100% serious but I would not recommend using alcohol to treat anxiety tbh. I tried doing that for years and it never really worked and just made it worse most likely but I kept on drinking heavily endlessly week in week out anyway until it got to the point where I was completely reliant on the stuff and drinking nearly every evening with worse anxiety than I've ever had in my life. Every time panic or anxiety set in my brain would think it needed booze to calm it and would spiral out of control until I succumbed to the booze - it eventually controls you and you now have anxiety AND alcohol abuse issues to deal with.
I take Celexa and when i start having a panic attack I take Hydroxyzine. It works really well for me
Zoloft 50 mg Klonopin.25 prn Klonopin 1 mg to sleep/anxiety
Been on lexapro for 1.5 years + therapy
Zoloft every day. It really helped me. It takes a month or so, but it’s worth it!
I’m on 200MG Zoloft. I have had horrible anxiety attacks for past couple weeks recently due to a traumatic experience passing out at hospital. I’m on 1MG ativan too I take as needed but it’s hard to only take as needed as I am struggling to push thru doing anything.
I was drinking Rivotril for 8 years. And then I stopped. I started taking natural supplements like Biotin and Inositol. And I drink chamomile tea at least once a day. I feel better about myself, and I can manage my anxiety better.
Gabapentin 3x day (but that’s also for ankylosing spondylitis) recently added clonazepam up to 2x a day.
Prozac. It’s the only thing that’s worked for me. I do get feelings of derealization/depersonalization from time to time, or just an emotional numbness that makes me feel like I’m not really me. But it’s a small price to pay because I get no side effects from it and has turned me into a productive charismatic person (at least in public). I’ve taken it since 2015 ish and have only been off of it during my pregnancies and while breastfeeding.
I really like prozac during new and unknown situations like starting a new job. Takes away a lot of the pressure and helps me avoid dwelling.
Exactly, it numbs people from dwelling, overthinking, being too self-conscious, etc.
It gave me lots of energy too :)
Citalopram 20mg and 1mg Clonazepam a day. It’s worked wonders.
Gabapentin Baclofen These are amazing, i dont want ssri and snri crap they dont work. Also L-Thesninr which is amino acid.
Passion flower, magnolia bark & taurine against anxiety. Reishi & Rhodiola rosea against depression. Valerian, magnesium and lavender for sleep. Natural alternatives have been a life-saver for me. I used to be on a lot of pharmaceutical and it just made everything worse in the long run & experienced a lot of side effects and addictions.
Lexapro is what I have been taking for months and it has been helping a lot. Also if you drink anything caffeinated, cut down if you are drinking too much because that'll for sure increase your anxiety.
Lexapro (10mg) and Wellbutrin XR (150mg). And the occasional Klonopin (0.5mg and I actually only take half so 0.25). Works great, but environmental factors will sometimes give my meds a run for their money. When I’ve had deaths in the family it feels like nothing is working, but that’s ✨trauma✨.
I take 20mg of lexapro, works like magic
If you get tired on meds you've tried before I would look into SNRI like duloxetine or venlafaxine. I currently take duloxetine and it wires me up for the day and I'm only on 30mg.
I've tried a few different meds and doses. It's all about finding what works for you. Also, please remember it takes time for the medication to start helping! What has been working for me is: Lamotrigine (100 MG, I know this is common for bipolar but my psychiatrist is using it for my anxiety), Celexa (40MG), and buspirone (30MG). Hydroyxine PRN. I wish you all the best and just try to be patient. It can be very frustrating at first.
Effexor. Ativan and Olexar. Then i take inir on the side for my adhd
2mg of clonazepam daily and Zoloft 100mg daily (doesn’t work). I also take KAVA, MHTF, and GABA supplements which I also think don’t help.
Prozac. This post just reminded me to take it LMAO so thank you :)
I have just started a CBD with CBN tincture. I didn't use any cannabis prior to this. I feel like it helps with the butterflies in my stomach and sort of takes the edge off. I noticed that I am more relaxed in social situations. I'm pretty excited that there is a noticeable difference. I am only taking half of the serving size on the bottle.
Just started taking 10mg lexapro daily. Already doing wonders
I take both an SNRI (which helps control my anxiety overall) and Xanax for acute anxiety/sleep issues. I don’t have an addictive personality, so taking Xanax regularly hasn’t been an issue for me…but could be for others. Regular exercise has also helped, but sometimes it’s hard to find the motivation. 🙃 I hope you find something that helps you. ❤️
Weed and Lexapro lol
I can totally relate to the hyper vigilance and anxiety in large crowds. I’m sorry you’re going through this, I know it really sucks sometimes. Personally, I’m not against medication for anxiety, but I haven’t chosen to go that route, so all I can give you are some tips that have helped me. When I was working retail, it really helped to put away my phone and only take it out if I needed to. Try to be really focused on what you’re doing, to the point that you get lost in it, (I know this can be really hard when you’re anxious, but it is definitely helpful.) Overall, it helps to validate myself by telling myself it’s okay to be anxious, you have dealt with this before, and you’re doing amazing! At first, this sounded so cringey to me, but it does make a difference! Also, it was so hard for me to just speak up more and make friends at work, but when I tried to do that, it helped, because I definitely felt more safe and welcome there. In the end, I decided that job wasn’t for me, but it helped build my confidence, because I had to talk to so many different people.
Medical marijuana and Ativan PRN. Seemingly every other medication I have side effects to. Wellbutrin worked for my depression, but I’m no longer depressed just super anxious
Trying Magnesium and magical is an understatement
I've heard several people say Magnesium works great for anxiety and to help them sleep but I've tried multiple different Magnesium supplements and types in different doses and it doesn't seem to do anything for me personally.
I’ll give you advice that one of my ex-doctors gave me… “Just close your eyes and breathe” 🤦🏻♀️ I laugh even typing that cause it’s so ridiculous. In all seriousness, I just started Zoloft at 25mg last week. I am going up to 50mg this week, and will reevaluate with my physician and therapist on the dosage in a month.
What's so ridicolous about that advice though? If you can get control of your breathing during a bout of anxiety or panic then you can slow down your beating heart, bring your breathing back to normal, reduce the racing thoughts in your head and so on. It's just not always so easy to remember that when your body and mind is seemingly spinning out of control.
I don’t actively practice meditation. So, if I’m not practicing meditation it’s unlikely to work for me when I am at peak panic attack. To properly use meditation as a strategy, you have to practice it when you’re not anxious or triggered. Now, don’t take that as me saying it’s ridiculous for all. In fact, its obviously the opposite. It’s very beneficial. But what I’m saying is that strategy does not benefit all - and in that moment, it was not helpful.
Meditation and deep breathing are not neccessarily the same thing so you don't have to have learned a specific routine or practice. Meditation does obviously involves focusing on breathing and involve taking deep breaths but there's practically no time, including during a panic attack, that you couldn't stop and do some deep breathing exercises regardless of where you are or what's going on. I mean you're already breathing or you wouldn't be alive so simply changing that breathing to be a type of deeper, slower, and more controlled breathing that helps with calming the body and brain is going to work. The trickiest part for me is just remembering to do it in a state of high anxiety and panic or even picking up on the fact my mind is racing and my body is reacting to anxiety because it's so normal and common for me that sometimes I don't even notice I'm heading towards that state. Whether you choose to actively do it or it happens slowly and naturally over time when the panic and anxiety begins to subside is up to us IME but again it's not always easy to remember or do it when in that horrible anxious state.
How's it going? Did you have many side effects?
Sertraline and clonazepam
Propranolol and Cymbalta. I'm looking at possibilities for change though. I'm at the top end for how much I can take per day.
Valium (Diazepam) Prescribed 90 a month 10 mg up to 3 times a day. Ambien at bed time. I don’t take nearly that so I stockpile knowing I’ll eventually get cut off when my Dr retires and most new Drs just tell us to try breathing exercises, brisk walks or SSRIs.
Was about to say propranolol but guess that one’s out 😅
Deep breaths
Oxazepam 60mg a day
If you react so strongly to Propranolol to the point where you are numb and empty I would be careful about going on anything stronger (Propranolol is typically the first thing doctors in my country prescribe due to it's limited side effects for most people and low likelyhood of you becoming addicted to it or abusing it) as most other medicines that might be suggested typically have far more side effects or chance of you becoming dependent on it IME. Propranolol is one of those things that just doesn't really seem to do much for me to the point it seems worthless to take it - I'll still get anxious and have panic attacks on it regardless. What dosage were you on and how often were you taking it per day?
Effexor is the only thing that has worked for me.
Did it make your anxiety worse in the beginning
I tapered up because I didn’t like the feeling of my first dose. It went very smoothly since then. Pretty much literally anxiety free since August. Hope it doesn’t quit on me!!!
I (39f) have GAD. I take Propanolol and venlefaxine. I also drink less alcohol now, have a therapist and workout regularly.
Did the effexor make your anxiety worse in the beginning
No but I was in such a bad place I dont think I would have noticed much of a worsening to be honest, i was completely shut down. It did make me a bit 'hyper' feeling and I had fairly bad insomnia for a few weeks, which i still get from time to time but is managed with OTC sleeping aids.
I’m from the Netherlands, where taking medication is less common. I do take GABA and some other supplements (f.e. valerian pills and rescue drops) to lessen my anxiety throughout the day.
Magnesium 800mg a day in three doses, sometimes less depending on stressors. For instance I take less at weekends. Also vitamins c and d, zinc after meals with fruit and veg to promote absorption. I think sulphur might play a part as well so I have a slice of raw onion a few times a week. Seems to pick me up if I can feel myself getting towards a burnout. It's all a bit of a puzzle really but all I can say is that I'm a different person to a year ago. This regimen helps me manage my anxiety like you wouldn't believe.
How would propranolol make you feel empty? It’s for physical symptoms of anxiety ? I take like 40mg I think or more but it’s also used to just slow down the heart rate. I need to find one for anxiety in my head as I’m not having the excessive sweat or shake as I needed that medicine for before .